Sorry can’t continue purchase

[John 1963]

Attended launch at Rybrook Solihull,disappointed to see the same car as at Goodwood , however wanted to get chance to see the colours in real light etc . Spoke to the team attending and was amazed at lack of up to date and vague replies to questions ie time line having paid 5k and imparting the expectation of a further 3k to be paid on the further phone call sometime in December , as they didn’t expect a car to be available to try till April .I told them my concerns on any improvements to gear change ,general drive ability etc , (I have a 410 gt in garage as well as an amg gts Porsche 992 and drove there in an alpine) the replies again were vague - the factory is new ;the car is redesigned etc ,that I knew , but the proof of the pudding is in the eating ! Further conversations revealed that there is no upper limit to first editions and the dealer network (having spoken to the previous lotus dealer I have used numerous times over the last twenty years) have no information on the car and no vested interest in its success .Further the dealer network has been hung out to dry there disappointment palpable! Sorry lotus to put down 8k non returnable deposit on an untried for all I know reskinned Evora ( the manual car in Bahrain I’m told is such ) with no enthusiasm from your much needed up to now dealer network is too much ! Will wait till they bother to launch properly and try before I buy ; have requested return of deposit - a bit disappointed overall !

 

[EM33RA]

Attended launch at Rybrook Solihull,disappointed to see the same car as at Goodwood , however wanted to get chance to see the colours in real light etc . Spoke to the team attending and was amazed at lack of up to date and vague replies to questions ie time line having paid 5k and imparting the expectation of a further 3k to be paid on the further phone call sometime in December , as they didn’t expect a car to be available to try till April .I told them my concerns on any improvements to gear change ,general drive ability etc , (I have a 410 gt in garage as well as an amg gts Porsche 992 and drove there in an alpine) the replies again were vague - the factory is new ;the car is redesigned etc ,that I knew , but the proof of the pudding is in the eating ! Further conversations revealed that there is no upper limit to first editions and the dealer network (having spoken to the previous lotus dealer I have used numerous times over the last twenty years) have no information on the car and no vested interest in its success .Further the dealer network has been hung out to dry there disappointment palpable! Sorry lotus to put down 8k non returnable deposit on an untried for all I know reskinned Evora ( the manual car in Bahrain I’m told is such ) with no enthusiasm from your much needed up to now dealer network is too much ! Will wait till they bother to launch properly and try before I buy ; have requested return of deposit - a bit disappointed overall !

You will be the first of many unfortunately. Not having a cap on 1st edition cars is not good at all. I can deal with everything else as they find their way as part of a total restructure.

 

[Stormcloud]

I've provided another 3k deposit but not sold either. People clearly love the car, but Lotus are offering nothing concrete, it's all on faith. Is the colour you choose actually the tone you'll get?, is 2cm lowered seat enough? Are the production seats comfortable and bolstered nicely? Driving position spot on?. It's a lotus, it will drive well, and the v6 is a known quantity. But the rest is really up in the air. I can see myself buying the car and at the same time running through plan B of flipping the car. I never buy cars to make a profit, but with so many unknowns about the end product, it has to be a consideration for early adopters. Else avoid all the potential aggro and just come back to the Emira in a few years.

 

[Racer X]

I’ll be waiting for the car reviewers to get their hands on them and weigh in, plus see how the Emira fares in the comparison tests. If it’s not at the top of the heap, I’ll be pulling out at the price that they are asking. Would rather spend more on the forthcoming 2023 Cayman/Boxster GT4 RS, or wait to see the redesign of the C/B. Then again, I do love the 992…. At least with the Porsche you get an engine made by Porsche and a transmission that isn’t glass and can handle upgraded power . Shame, as the Emira had me so excited that I put a deposit down without thinking. Now that I’m sobering up, I’m concerned it’s just a pretty face on a car that’s over a decade old and won’t win the smart money. I detest the digital gauge cluster, so that was something I had to force myself to ignore; same with the non-round steering wheel. I’m going to stop writing as I’m talking myself out of it prematurely.

 

[DJW]

You do remember the 991 GT3 engine problems, right ?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions , but I would advise people wait until their deposits are no longer refundable before jumping ship. Hopefully by then there will be more info, better colour examples etc etc. Once the reviews come out and expect them to be positive, the queue for the car will only get longer.

Personally I would be happy with a base £60k car, but haven’t the patience to wait the potential couple of years for one. Thus V6 FE it is.

 

[Racer X]

I do, but I also remember the Evora supercharger and transmission problems…
I do plan on waiting for the reviews and I’ll also go to see the car in person this December; we’ll see if that changes my perception of the interior (or if I’m bowled over by the looks). It pains me to say it, but I’m having a bit of a dopamine crash as time moves forward and it appears that the car may be a re-skin .

 

[John 1963]

I've provided another 3k deposit but not sold either. People clearly love the car, but Lotus are offering nothing concrete, it's all on faith. Is the colour you choose actually the tone you'll get?, is 2cm lowered seat enough? Are the production seats comfortable and bolstered nicely? Driving position spot on?. It's a lotus, it will drive well, and the v6 is a known quantity. But the rest is really up in the air. I can see myself buying the car and at the same time running through plan B of flipping the car. I never buy cars to make a profit, but with so many unknowns about the end product, it has to be a consideration for early adopters. Else avoid all the potential aggro and just come back to the Emira in a few years.

Flipping the car an obvious way out and in the past I have achieved some good returns ( never buy the way a porsche as they watch proceedings and act accordingly) but there’s the rub lotus are not porsche who restrict supply to bolster demand and price , no restriction on demand for this car and you will be able to speck one later perhaps somewhat cheaper ; and I believe the step change on this model will be the auto (amg sourced engines - bomb proof - same auto transmission ) that engine can carry 415 bhp , with no worries about the gear change , clutch travel etc . So if you wish to flip had better act quick on arrival as the price point on this car is relatively fair ( the latest gt3 if you dare would flip 50k above price paid ,have refused same on my present new car ) and the return you get might be 5k max , as why would you pay a whole lot more when there will be plenty out there , and available in 12 months or so as and when , or so we’re are told ! Good luck and as my old dad used to say Buyer Beware !

 

[HiddenLotus]

I work at a lotus dealership and here is what I have:
1. This is a new factory, you will have bugs, you will not get parts back in time
2. This car will weight more than the Cayman GTS and GT4
3. First Edition buyers are obviously test pilots, they removed the adaptive cruise and lumped everything together to get manufacturing processes down
4. This car IS an Evora with a better exterior imo. The new car is the I4, different engine, DCT.
5. The reason why this car is so much slower than the Evora GT comes down to weight of all the new tech.
6. The sound of the car on the videos will not be the sound of the production models.
7. There's no word whatsoever for parts availability except for existing evora internals

Notice how you're getting closer to making a firm deposit but no information on the Amg I4 0-100 is given right? No concrete info on the weight of the V6 fully loaded is given right? You're all being sold "it'll drive like a lotus". What does the I4 sound like? Ask what other manufacturer hides this much information after launch and after deposits have been taken.


I've seen this smoke and mirrors things too much. Toyota supra with all its hype, so many people made deposits. Then reviewers went to town. Next year they give it a 40+hp bump with new internals leaving first adopters with a nasty bag of depreciation. Nobody wants a supra launch edition.

Good luck to you all, heading back in to send a laundry list of refund emails to the finance department.

 

[p.rob]

Price got out for Canada yesterday and it's slightly disapointing, while most manufacturers sell their cars cheaper in Canada by quite a margin than the corresponding USD to CAD exchanged value, Lotus has decided to actually go more expensive... I'm thinking to hold on to my deposit for a V6 base somewhere in 2023... Not really in a rush since I have a nice GT4 in the garage meanwhile...

 

[Stormcloud]

I work at a lotus dealership and here is what I have:
1. This is a new factory, you will have bugs, you will not get parts back in time
2. This car will weight more than the Cayman GTS and GT4
3. First Edition buyers are obviously test pilots, they removed the adaptive cruise and lumped everything together to get manufacturing processes down
4. This car IS an Evora with a better exterior imo. The new car is the I4, different engine, DCT.
5. The reason why this car is so much slower than the Evora GT comes down to weight of all the new tech.
6. The sound of the car on the videos will not be the sound of the production models.
7. There's no word whatsoever for parts availability except for existing evora internals

Notice how you're getting closer to making a firm deposit but no information on the Amg I4 0-100 is given right? No concrete info on the weight of the V6 fully loaded is given right? You're all being sold "it'll drive like a lotus". What does the I4 sound like? Ask what other manufacturer hides this much information after launch and after deposits have been taken.


I've seen this smoke and mirrors things too much. Toyota supra with all its hype, so many people made deposits. Then reviewers went to town. Next year they give it a 40+hp bump with new internals leaving first adopters with a nasty bag of depreciation. Nobody wants a supra launch edition.

Good luck to you all, heading back in to send a laundry list of refund emails to the finance department.

You need to cheer up a bit (although all points are valid)

 

[Leonard]

You need to cheer up a bit (although all points are valid)

Plot twist @HiddenLotus actually works for Porsche

 

[John 1963]

You need to cheer up a bit (although all points are valid)

Your right life’s too short as long as your happy with the process who actually cares !

 

[kratedisease]

I think many of you posting are being way too critical.

BUT.... I think LOTUS should have just waited a bit longer to reveal the car, so that they would be able to show off finished production examples that are exact examples of what depositors are getting. SO far only two cars, the grey manual and blue car that does not drive. and neither is a finished example.

 

[Den]

Jenson Button seems to be happy with it so that’ll do me

 

[kratedisease]

Attended launch at Rybrook Solihull,disappointed to see the same car as at Goodwood , however wanted to get chance to see the colours in real light etc . Spoke to the team attending and was amazed at lack of up to date and vague replies to questions ie time line having paid 5k and imparting the expectation of a further 3k to be paid on the further phone call sometime in December , as they didn’t expect a car to be available to try till April .I told them my concerns on any improvements to gear change ,general drive ability etc , (I have a 410 gt in garage as well as an amg gts Porsche 992 and drove there in an alpine) the replies again were vague - the factory is new ;the car is redesigned etc ,that I knew , but the proof of the pudding is in the eating ! Further conversations revealed that there is no upper limit to first editions and the dealer network (having spoken to the previous lotus dealer I have used numerous times over the last twenty years) have no information on the car and no vested interest in its success .Further the dealer network has been hung out to dry there disappointment palpable! Sorry lotus to put down 8k non returnable deposit on an untried for all I know reskinned Evora ( the manual car in Bahrain I’m told is such ) with no enthusiasm from your much needed up to now dealer network is too much ! Will wait till they bother to launch properly and try before I buy ; have requested return of deposit - a bit disappointed overall !

you forgot to mention the low ball teaser pricing that never disclosed (for the longest) for which engine model, until just now. And the teaser price was only discussed, NEVER officially disclosed in written form, and this teaser price was only for the UK MARKET. Those of us in USA had to look up the VAT, figure out the conversion, and were all over the map trying to nail down the price......while handing over $2500USD.

Why did LOTUS not disclose that the I-4 will be offered at the lowest price at the reveal or Goodwood ?

and this non disclosure of curb weight of each version.

General Motors tells its customers pricing BEFORE taking deposits. Corvette pricing was disclosed BEFORE any deposits were taken.
HUMMER EV, same, all pricing was disclosed BEFORE you could put a deposit.

This LOTUS stupidity of dealers taking $2500USD before releasing pricing is total ridiculous.

 

[p.rob]

I'm guessing you are new to the game, you can put a deposit down for any car before the price is announced. I personally know many people that holds deposits for the new Z06, even before the price is announced, same goes for Porsche, had a deposit down for 2 years on a GT4...

 

[kratedisease]

I'm guessing you are new to the game, you can put a deposit down for any car before the price is announced. I personally know many people that holds deposits for the new Z06, even before the price is announced, same goes for Porsche, had a deposit down for 2 years on a GT4...

you are actually wrong..... any dealer can take a deposit for a car that does not exist, and that may even never exist. Thats what dealers do every day, just like adding on $900 dealer prep fees, and $500 document fees.

Dealers do that every day.

I said manufacturers like GM will not take online deposits until pricing is released.

LOTUS asked for deposits of $2500 in USA without even telling us pricing, NOT the dealer, it was the manufacturer that asked for $2500 and required a drivers license copy also, while never disclosing any solid pricing. Then after they got their deposits, LOTUS disclosed the pricing in written form.

Actually quite scummy in my opinion.

 

[eclat2emira]

It is everyone's choice - put a deposit down early to secure a build slot - or wait until there is more information - everyone can do what they choose to suit their preferences.

I'm sure if Lotus said they were not taking deposits until next year there would be a huge outcry about how wrong that was.

 

[Racer X]

It would be very hard to convince me that Lotus pays more for the high-volume Camry V6 and transmission than they are for an AMG i4 turbo with a dual clutch transmission. They are gouging V6 buyers.

 

[Pegasi]

Usually I don't get into these conversations because I know everyone likes different things. And when that thing is new there can be a whole lot of opinions.

This is what I don't understand. I have heard re-branded Evora, slow, heavy, all of this stuff. Every review online of an Evora speaks to how this is one of the greatest handling cars in the world. Every review says this! Then Lotus says that the Emira has expanded into a new level of handling and secure feel. I didn't think people bought Lotuses for straight line speed. Everyone talks about the handling. Jensen talked about how the Emira will give supercars problems in the turns. I know he is friendly to corporate but why would a Formula one driver put his reputation on the line.

I don't understand why people aren't talking about what the car could be and just what it's not? Does the Evora design create downforce? Lotus says the Emira is the only car in the class that creates significant downforce. What does that mean and how will that drive? That's what I want to hear too.